Number-illuminating device for motor-vehicles.



M. H. ASCHNER. NUMBER ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION HLED 0U. 22 19!].

Patented Aug. (5, 1918.

2 SREETS-SHEET 1.

Huumfloz M111) M. H, ASCHNER. NUMBER mummmma DEVICE FOR MOTOR v5 HICLES.

APPUCATION FILED 0cT.22.19$7.

Patented Aug. 1), 1918;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wmuumm iso MORRIS H. ASCHNER, OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.

NUMBER-ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 19 18.

Application filed October 22, 1917. Serial No. 197,844.

T114! whom it may concern.

lie it known that I, Mounts ll. Ascuxnu, a citizen of the linitcd'ritatcs, residing at Long Islam]. in the county of Queens and State of .\'cw York. havc invented now and useful Improvements in Numbcr-Illuminating lleviccs [or Motor-Yehiclcs, ot which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to holders and display devices for automo ile license plates. \vhcrcin thc liccnsc plate may be illuminated for night service and readable at omparatively great distances.

The invention has for its main ohjcct the provision of a device, of the above men tioned character. possessing novel features of construction which permit the license plate to be applied and secured in position with the greatest possible case and cclerity,

aml which produces a simple. compact constructiou. illluninating numerous small parts, and minimizing workmanship in manor nfacture, thus rendering the dcviv'c of great commercial value.

The invention further comprises and resides in sundry norcl tcatnrcs and details of construction which will be readily apparent from the following description and the drawings illustrating the embodiments of the invention.

in the drawings which clearly describe the invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment,

l i'g. its a top plan. view of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a. vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l, and looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 42 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the invention, and

l ig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. (3 is a detail view showing the lamp,

, its socket, and the leading-in wire.

Like characters denote similar parts throughout the specification and drawings. 1n carrying the present invention into )raelicc, a casing l is provided to house a 1 amp 2, the casing comprising top and bottom walls 3 and 4 and a rear wall 5 secured to the edges olithe top and bottom walls. The rear wall 5 is bent at its central portion to form diverging side wall portions 5, which act as means 'for reflecting the rays from the lamp 2.

Q 1t will be noticed 'fiom the drawings that the diverging wall portions 5 extend forwardly to the front edges of the top and bottom walls 3 and 4. the lamp 2 being positioned in the casing opposite the central portion of the rca r wall 5, as clearly shown.

The front of the casing is to be closed or covered by a transparent sheet. of material such as glass, which is cut to snugly fit be tween the top, bottom and side-wall portions of the casing' 1, there being, preferably. shoulders, such as indicated at 9, ad jacent the forward corners of the casing to limit the inward movement of the transparent plate 8 and to assist in maintaining it in position.

In the emlmdiinent shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it will be seen that the front edge of the top and bottom walls are provided with upstanding flanges t3 and 7, respectively, the front edge of the bottom wall 4. of, the easing being slightly in advance of the front edge of the, wall 3 in order that the flange T will lie out of alinement-with the flange t' for providing;' a space or groove between the flange 7 and the plate 8, in which groove the lower edge ofthe license plate 10 may be inserted and rest. This groove or space may be provided in any other suitable manner that may be found desirable or practicable.

The casing 1 and the lioense plate 10 are thus secured to the ordinary brackets used for supporting the usual license plate. One of these brackets has been shown in the drawings, and comprises an elongated arm 11 having one end offset, as indicated at. 12. to be suitably secured to the vehicle and having elon ated slots 13 adjacent its ends.

To provide for the ready and quick attaelnuent of both the casing and license plate to the bracket arm, the plate 10 and flange (5 are provided with horizontal elongated slots 14 and 15, respectively, which are to register with the slots 13 in the bracket. arm 11, through which slots 13, 1t

and 15 a bolt 16 is passed and receives a securing nut 17 on its extended end.

Thus, it. will be clear that this connection permits the parts to be quickly and readily attached and detached from the bracket arm, and eliminates various complicated constructions which have been heretofore found objectionable both from mechanical and commercial points of view; the aim of this invention being to simplify the eonstruetion, yet providing means for efi'ec- 13, 14 and 15 will also permit the various, parts to be shifted relative to each other toobtain fine adjustments which may be foundf desirable. i a I It will also be noticed that when the license plate has been secured in positiomas shown in Fig. 3, it lies in apposition with respect to the transparent plate 8, and retains the latter firmly against removal and rattle.

The license plate 10 takes a stencil-like construction, that is, the numbers or charactors thereon. areformed by cuttin out portions of the plate in order to permit the rays of light within the casing 1 to emit therethrought i In theembodiment shown in Figs]! and 5, it will be noticed that the invention takes the same general construction as in the former embodiment, with the exception of the means for retaining thelicense plate in posi-- tion whichhas been modified. Like parts shown in this latterembodiment will-be designated by numeralsindicating similar parts in the previously described embodiment, although these numerals will be followed by the exponent a in order to distinguish the two embodiments. In the present instance, the front edge of the top wall 3*-is, provided with an upstanding flange 6, extending the length thereof as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this flange Ghavin the elongated slots 14 which register wit the slots 13 in the bracket arm 11', through which slots a securing bolt l6 extends. Likewise, the casing 1 is secured directlylto the supporting bracket 11, as in the former instance, and admits of the same ready attachment and detachment. l

The license plate 10 is secured in position, in the present construction, by providing a downwardly-extending.flange 18' on and coextensive with the front edge of the top wall 3" of the casing, and by providing a co-extensive retaining llange 19 on the front edge of the bottom wall 4 The flange 19 is hinged in any suitable manner, as indicated at 20, and is normally held in its operative position by the spring members 21". preferably of the leaf-spring type, secured at one end to the under face of the bottom wall of the casing, as indicated at 22. The other ends of the springs 21 are bent around the hinged joint 20" and are extended upwardly into engagement to the outer face of the flange l9" to exert a yielding pressure therea ainst. These springs 21 may be of any esired number and are evenly placed along the flange if) so that pressure exerted thereby will be evenly distributed throughout the flange.

When it is desired to secure the license of the casing.

plate 10' in place, it is only necessary to swing the retaining flange 19 on its pivotto a position indicated by dotted lines in F1 5, and to insert the upper edge of the license plate between the flange 18 and the trans parent plate 8; then move the lower edge of the plate 10* into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, whereupon the flan 19 will snap into position to firmly retain the lates 8 and 10 in the casing. It will be 0 served that the plate 10 lies in close juxta-relationwith the plate 8 and will retain the same against removal and rattle. To facilitate the opening of the hinged flange 19, a finger piece, as indicated at 23', may be provided on an intermediate portion of the same.

In both embodiments of the invention, the

reduced threaded extension 25' which ex tends through an opening 26 centrally formed in the bottom wall 4 of the casing. The reduced portion 25' provides shoulders 27 which engage and rest a on the edges of the opening 26, while Sflif threaded extension has a retaining nut 28 threaded thereon, which is adapted to bear on the opposite side of the opening 20' to firmly secure the socket in position, and in such a manner as to provide a water-proof joint.

The foregoing clearly describes the invention; however, it is to be understood that certain changes in the specific construction, combination and arrangement of parts can be made which fall within the legitimate scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. In a device of the character described,

comprising a casing having an open face upstanding flanges formed on the top and bottom edges of said open face, a translucent plate to fittingly engage between the edges of said open face, means. for limiting the inward movement of said plate, whereby the plate is held to lie flush with the upperthe lowermost of saidv flanges lying out of alincment and in admost of said flanges,

vance of said uppermost flange to form a space between said plate and itself in which the lower edge of a license late is to engage and rest, said uppermost fiiinge having slots therein to register with slots on the license plate. and means to extend through said slots for securing the parts together.

2. In a device of the character described comprising a casing having an open face,an

inwardly extending flange formed on one edge of said open face of the casing, an outwardly extending flange formed on another edge of said open face of the casing, a translucent plate to fittingly ongaga betweeuthe edges of the open face of the raising, means for limiting the inward movement of said plate whereby the latter is hold to lie flush with the outwardly extending flange, the inwardly oxtonding tlango lying out of alino ment and in advanoo of tho out\\'ardl oxtonding tlango to form a spaoo. hotwoonsaid plato and itsoll in whioh tho lowoi' otlflo of a lioonso plato is to ongugo and Post. said outwardly entondin; flange having lots thoroin to registor with tho slots along an adjacent edge of tho lioonso plato. and nit-ans to extend through said Slots for wouring tllo outwardly oxtonding fiango and lioonso plato togothor and to tho u ual hraolcot arm.

3. The combination with an olongatod hrackot arin having spaood slots tlioi'oin. a casing having an opt-n t'aoo. np tantling flanges on the top and hottoni otlgos ol' aid opon face, tho lou't'l'ltlihl of said llnltgos extending out of alinoinont and in utlYutn'o of tho upponnmt of said tlangos and adapt od to rotain tho lowor odgo ot' a lioonw plato in ongagoniont with tho owing. tho |t] |n'tmost of aid tlangw having lotthoi'oin to logistol' with tho lot in tho hraolt'ol arm and with tho slot in tho nppor odgtof tho lioonsu platta and a -oouring oloniont oxtonding through aid lot. for lii'ndy i'otaining tho parts in position.

4. A do\ioo of tho ohzii'aotor do-o|'il-otl. comprisin; a oasing' lnuing an opt-n tat-o with an up tandin; and a tlt't,lt'lttllli 1 tlango on tho front uppol' odgo of aid upon law. a hingod llango on tho t'l'ont lonor odgo ol' silitl t'aoo. aid doponding' and hin uod |la|.go hoill; adaplod to l'otain a lioonw plato in tho opon l'ai'o of tho oasing. moans for limit ing tho inward inovoniontot' tho lioonso plato. and moans for yioldinglv holding tho hingod flange in a normal rotaining position, said upstanding tango having slots thoroin to rogistol' with tho slots of a lnaoliot arm and through whit-h soouring inolnhors pass.

ln a dovioo ol' the (lttlllltltl described, oomprising a oasing having an open fat'o. a rigid inwardly oxtonding flange on one odgc of tho opon two of tho oasing, a liingod tlango on tho oppmito l'aoo of tho oasing, said llango ltt'lllg adaptod to rotain a lioonsu plato in tho opt-n t'aoo of tho casing. moans for limiting tho inward llltH't'llttHl of tho lioonw plato. and moans for 'ioldingl holding tho hingod tlango in ()[NltlllYU rotaining posdion.

t3. ln a llt\'lt't' of tho ohal'aolor tl\$(lllllll, oomprising a oasing l|a\'iu; an opon t'aoo, with a doponding tlango on tho uppor t'lont odgo of tho opon l'aoo. a tranapal'ont plato tittingly ongagod hot \\'t't'll tho odgo of tho. opon tat-o. |noan for limiting: tho inward nioioniont of aid plato. a hingod llango on tho lowor l'ront odgo of tho opon t'aoo of tho oasing. aid lltlllgl't. hoing adaptod to ha\'o a lloolbo plato inwrtotl lu-t\\oo|| lllt'lll and said transparont plato. and a pring molnhol' o.\'- orting a ytohliug |1l'o u|'o on said hinged tlang'o to normally hold it in opo'atho [jotainin; poxition \\'lltl'tl tho transparent, and lioonso platos :tlt' hold in the oasing.

ln tostinzony hi-root l have horoliuto set; my hand.

MtHtltlS ll. ASCIINER. 

